2 Android Apps to Help You Dri­ve Safe

07 Feb 2014

Do you get tempted to check your phone when it rings while you are driving? Well, we all do. And we usually give in, even though it’s quite risky and also punishable by law (in many countries).

The best way to resist this temptation is by keeping the phone in silent mode when you’re driving. But that’s never a perfect solution since you might get an important call or a text which requires you to pull over and respond. What if the phone could respond to those for you, and tell them that you’re driving?

Certain phones (like the ones in Samsung Galaxy series) have the ‘driving mode’ built-in. For others, we’ve got apps, two of which we’ll take up now. Using these apps you can concentrate on the driving and make sure you, along with others, are safe on the streets.

Auto SMS

Auto SMS is a nifty app for Android using which you can create rules to automatically reply to incoming calls and SMS while you are driving. The app will not disconnect the incoming calls, rather it will send out texts after you have missed them. You can also use the app to read out the incoming SMS using the built-in Android text-to-speech engine.

In the app the user has to create a profile for carrying out the task. One can configure different profiles for different needs. The app can also be used to auto-respond to messages even when you are in a meeting and cannot attend the call for some reasons. There are many templates you can choose from while creating the profiles, to send automated messages.

Safely Go (With VIP Contacts Feature)

Safely Go is another app one can use to be safe on the roads while driving. Just like the previous app, you can configure this one too, to auto-reply to incoming calls. However, this app has a dedicated driving dashboard which provides an added advantage when compared to the former. Here you can add three apps you would like to access while driving (navigation, music, etc.). Also, up to three VIP contacts can be added in the app.

Once you have configured these VIP contacts, the app will not ignore the incoming calls from them even when the driving mode is activated. You can then choose to accept them, but make sure you are on hands-free while answering them.

Once you have configured the app, each time you are going out for a drive, activate it. Users can also place an on-screen widget to get direct access from the homescreen. Once the app is activated it will take actions according to the configured rules.

Conclusion

That was about the two (safe) driving apps. They let you ignore intelligently and also let you know when you absolutely need to pull over and attend to a call or a text. Just keep your eyes on the road.

Last updated on 8 Feb, 2018
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